Its true. The term Knock Off (KO) does have a negative connotation around it. Bascially anything produced without the official word or authorization is a KO. However, the recent reproduction of the Swoop, Cassettes, Optimus and such are really close if not almost exactly like the originals. Reprolabels are actually in my opinion better than the originals, in terms of quality.

Reprolabels are actually in my opinion better than the originals, in terms of quality.

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Indeed they are.

I really don't understand the "Original or Bust" mindset when talking about a friggin' BOX. If the quality is there, and it's identical, WHO CARES? If there is no way to determine a KO box from an original box, then that KO box is, in effect, an original. There is no difference between the two, other than age, which is usually not kind to packaging.

It's an interesting quandry. As the makers of KOs like the Prime, Mirage, Bumblebee, cassettes, etc... get better and better, and we get to a point where the KO is indistinguishable from the original in any way, does the KO "become" an original?

It's an interesting quandry. As the makers of KOs like the Prime, Mirage, Bumblebee, cassettes, etc... get better and better, and we get to a point where the KO is indistinguishable from the original in any way, does the KO "become" an original?

I don't think I have a good answer for that.

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I don't think it will be considered an original, especially when Takaras Box style releases and Hasbros Commerative series aren't seen as the original. This is just an alternative, although an illegal one, but still an alternative. And if you are just considering the box, e-Hobby has done releases using G1 style boxes and they are again just an alternative. Now they use it just for made up characters who weren't in G1, but they did do it for Ironhide and Ratchet, probably others that I'm not aware of.

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While I don't disagree, the TFC reissues, Hasbro reissues, and eHobby Ironhide/Ratchet/Trailbreaker are easily distinguished from their original G1 counterparts; both in and out of package.

A perfect reproduction of a G1 toy and box feels a little different to me. Up to this point, there have been telltale signs of original vs. KO... but once those issues are worked out, I wonder if we aren't looking at an influx of brand new "real" G1 items?

I really don't understand the "Original or Bust" mindset when talking about a friggin' BOX. If the quality is there, and it's identical, WHO CARES? If there is no way to determine a KO box from an original box, then that KO box is, in effect, an original. There is no difference between the two, other than age, which is usually not kind to packaging.

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It shouldn't be that hard to understand. And it seems obvious why people would care. It is the identical/almost identical element that makes it so bad. This stuff gets sold as vintage g1 when it is not. It is used to rip countless people off and breed contempt and mistrust in the market.

If people are buying it for themselves and then never re-selling it then whatever, except that people fake having a much better g1 collection that they really do, but unfortunately that is very often not the case.

It shouldn't be that hard to understand. And it seems obvious why people would care. It is the identical/almost identical element that makes it so bad. This stuff gets sold as vintage g1 when it is not. It is used to rip countless people off and breed contempt and mistrust in the market.

If people are buying it for themselves and then never re-selling it then whatever, except that people fake having a much better g1 collection that they really do, but unfortunately that is very often not the case.

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I'll agree that they should not be sold as originals, but as long as the buyer knows it isn't real, and the seller isn't lying or overcharging, I don't see the big deal. I didn't mean they should be marketed as original, merely that they have the potential to be just as good, if not better.

If you can't find the real thing, a brand new, completely identical, inexpensive duplicate should be acceptable. I do not understand why that would not be good enough - then again, I'm no MISB collector, in the trash they go.